Penne with bacon, pecans, snap peas, and goat cheese

(modified from http://www.framedcooks.com/2012/05/linguine-with-bacon-goat-cheese-and-sugar-snap-peas.html)

• 4-8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1/2 c. pecans
• whole wheat penne, 8 oz or 1 box
• 2 c. snap peas, cut in half diagonally
• 2 scallions (green parts), sliced
• couple TBS EVOO
• zest of 1 lemon
• goat cheese crumbles

Cook bacon until crispy.  Remove and drain on paper towels, leaving bacon grease in pan.

Cook pecans in bacon grease until toasted.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  After somewhat cooled, chop medium to fine.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  2-3 minutes before pasta is done, add snap peas and finish cooking.  Drain pasta and peas.

Put pasta and peas in a large bowl.  Add bacon, scallions, EVOO, and lemon zest and toss to combine.  Top each serving with chopped pecans and goat cheese.

Baked chicken with yogurt and parmesan

(from http://www.mykitchenescapades.com/2012/07/parmesan-chicken-bake.html)

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 c. Greek yogurt
• 1/2 c. fresh grated parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
• 1.5 tsp seasoning salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13" pan.  Lay chicken inside pan.

Mix remaining ingredients and spread evenly over chicken, covering all exposed meat.  Sprinkle with a bit more parmesan.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Quinoa salad with strawberries, pecans, prosciutto, and feta

(modified from http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com/2013/04/quinoa-salad-with-strawberries-crispy.html)

Dressing:

• 2 scallions, white parts only, finely minced
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 1 TBS lemon juice
• 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon zest (optional?)
• pinch of salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad:

• 1 c. cooked quinoa, preferably chilled
• 4 oz prosciutto (or a bit less), torn into small pieces
• 1 TBS EVOO
• 1 c. pecans, toasted
• 1 c. quartered strawberries
• couple c. baby spinach
• 1 c. crumbled feta

Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk well to combine.  Set aside.

Fry prosciutto in EVOO until crispy.

Toss all salad ingredients except dressing and feta.  Add dressing to taste and toss.  Add feta and toss.

Chai-spiced bread

(modified from http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chai-spiced-bread/7c2b23e7-aff8-4a67-97bf-2460023ae6e3 )

• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 c. strong tea
• 1/3 c. milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 c. flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Heat oven to 400.  Grease a loaf pan (bottom only?).

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Mix in wet ingredients until well combined.  Stir in dry ingredients just until moistened.  Spread in pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake until passes toothpick test.  Start checking at 30 minute point.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.

Cioppino

• EVOO
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp dried basil (or maybe more--I would use a generous amount if it were fresh)
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 c. seafood broth
• 1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes
• 3/4 c. white wine
• 1 lb mixed seafood

Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft.  Add broth, wine, tomatoes, and spices.  Simmer uncovered for 30 min.  Remove bay leaf and puree with stick blender.  Add seafood and simmer until just cooked.  Serve in bowls with crusty bread for dipping.

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie in a mug

(modified from http://www.504main.com/2013/02/oatmeal-crunch-cookies-in-cup-recipe.html)

• 1 TBS butter or margarine, melted
• 1 TBS sugar
• 1 TBS brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg yolk
• dash salt (optional)
• 3 TBS flour
• generous sprinkle of cinnamon
• 2 TBS oatmeal
• 1 TBS chocolate chips

Melt butter in mug.  Add sugars and mix.  Add vanilla, salt, and egg yolk and mix.  Add flour and cinnamon and mix.  Add oatmeal and mix.  Add chocolate chips and mix.  Microwave 40 seconds and check for doneness.  Takes about 55 seconds total.

Liz's Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken

(Verbatim from Liz...)

Pound six chicken breasts until evenly thin. Optional: marinate in some buttermilk for a few hours to make really moist and tender.

For the filling, saute about a half a chopped onion and some garlic until tender. Mix in one box frozen spinach (thawed and drained), some chopped sundried tomatoes, 1/2 small container ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (not grated), 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 3 tbsp pine nuts (toasted), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp italian seasoning, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg.

Get good thick bacon and cook slightly in the microwave -- I put four slices in at a time for 30 seconds each. Just enough to start the cooking process but still wrap around the chicken easily.

Place a healthy amount of stuffing on each chicken breast and roll the breast up. Wrap two slices of bacon around each breast and secure with a toothpick if necessary.

Place on a rack on a roasting pan and cook at 375 for 40 minutes. Then switch to broil and broil for about 5 minutes more to really crisp up the bacon.

I laid the six cooked breasts side by side in a line down a skinny rectangular serving plate, then I ladled a stripe of pasta sauce down the middle. I served pasta and sauce on the side, along with roasted asparagus.